Duncan Sheik Plans to Have a Bloody Good Time on Broadway With American Psycho

Tony-winning composer Duncan Sheik has some bloody plans for his previously announced musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel, American Psycho. Producers for the show revealed they have their sights set on a Broadway bow, and Sheik even likened the project to another popular gruesome flick. "Think about Malcolm McDowell singing songs during A Clockwork Orange," Sheik told the New York Post. "He sang 'Singing in the Rain.'"

Book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa also dished on the project, explaining, "There are murders, and they are on stage in full view of the audience. An ax and a chef's knife will be used. I think there's going to be a lot of blood." He also revealed his hopes to include several scenes from the novel that were cut from the film adaptation, including main character Patrick Bateman's run-in with Tom Cruise.

American Psycho follows a deranged Wall Street banker with an affinity for '80s pop music, sex and killing people. The novel was adapted into a film in 2000, starring Christian Bale as titular killer Bateman and co-starring Reese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis, Willem Dafoe, Josh Lucas and Justin Theroux.

Sheik originally found success as a solo artist with the Billboard hit "Barely Breathing." He earned two Tony Awards for his debut Broadway musical, Spring Awakening. His second musical, Whisper House, featuring a book and additional lyrics by Kyle Jarrow, ran earlier this year at San Diego's Old Globe Theater.

So who's the target for such a wild and violent show? "Obviously, it's not for the people who want to see Elf," Sheik joked.